Which Allied campaign led to Mussolini's removal from power and opened the path for Allied operations in Italy?

• A. Operation Husky (Allied invasion of Sicily)
• B. Italian Campaign (including Sicily and the Italian mainland)
• C. Operation Torch
• D. Battle of the Atlantic

Answer: (B)

The path into Italy and the fall of Mussolini were driven by the broader Italian Campaign, which began with the Sicily operation and continued onto the Italian mainland. Invading Sicily exposed the weakness of the fascist regime and the military’s deteriorating position, which directly contributed to Mussolini being deposed and a new government taking over. Once that regime change happened, the Allies could press forward with the invasion of the mainland and maintain a sustained campaign in Italy for the rest of the war. The wider campaign across Sicily and the Italian mainland thus opened the door for ongoing Allied operations in Italy. In contrast, Operation Torch was a North Africa offensive that, while strategically important, did not directly produce Mussolini’s removal or establish the Italian theater, and the Battle of the Atlantic was a naval campaign not tied to removing the Italian regime.